Ginger Carrot Soup

This is a pungent, sweet, oily, and salty soup that is a good appetizer for Vata and can be eaten in moderation by Kapha, but it increases Pitta. A great soup to serve as part of a light meal on a winter-almost-spring day, it begins with a Vata broth that serves as a basis for many other Vata-balancing main dish recipes, gravies, and sauces.

1. Bring the broth and the milk to a boil in a heavy 4-quart pan. Add the ghee, the sugar, the pepper, and the cardamom. Stir well for a minute over moderately high heat. Add the ginger and cook for an additional 2 or 3 minutes, until you can smell the ginger clearly. Stir in the carrots and the orange juice. Simmer over low heat, stirring frequently, for about an hour, or until the carrots are pulpy. Turn off the heat. Cover, set aside, and let cool.

2. When ready to serve, puree the mixture in a food mill or food processor until creamy. Then return it to the pot. Reheat just to the boiling point and turn down to simmer. Add the cream. If it seems too thick, add a little water until it seems to be a moderately thin consistency. To further enrich the soup for Vata, a pat of butter or dollop of whipped cream can be floated on top of each bowl.

note: When cooking for Kapha, omit the sugar and use low-fat milk, not heavy cream.